Arrest Mehbooba Mufti: BJP irked over her seditious 'won't raise tricolour' remark

Jammu and Kashmir BJP has demanded the arrest of its erstwhile ally and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti for her pledge of not hoisting the tricolour until the flag of the erstwhile state is restored, a comment the party sees as "seditious".

The flag of Jammu and Kashmir lost its validity after the Central government scrapped Article 370 of the Constitution and downgraded the region into two Union Territories last year.

The saffron party also said that "no power on earth" can either hoist the state flag again or restore Article 370, which granted a special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing a press conference on Friday after her release from 14-months long detention, People's Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mufti said that she will only hold the national flag after the flag of Jammu and Kashmir is restored.

Until we get our own flag back, we won't raise any other flag

"My flag is this (points to the flag of Jammu and Kashmir kept on the table in front of her). When this flag comes back, we will raise that flag (tricolour) too. Until we get our own flag back, we won't raise any other flag... This flag bound our relationship with the tricolour," Mufti said.

The now-defunct flag of Jammu and Kashmir was put on her table during the pressure as a mark of defiance.

Irked over the remark, Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina said, "I request Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to take cognisance of the seditious remarks of Mehbooba Mufti, book her for the seditious act and put her behind bars."

Accusing Mufti of instigating people of Jammu and Kashmir, Raina said, "We will not allow anyone to disturb peace, normalcy and brotherhood. In case anything wrong happens, she will have to face the consequences."

'If Kashmiri leaders are feeling insecure in India, they can go to Pakistan, China'

Aiming at the PDP chief, he said, "If Kashmiri leaders are feeling insecure in India, they can go to Pakistan and China".

During her press conference, Mufti said that Jammu and Kashmir had acceded to a "liberal, democratic and secular India", and added, "Let me tell them that we are not comfortable, we are incompatible with today's India where minorities and Dalits are not safe and where they tried to disrespect us by looting our dignity."

Reacting to the BJP's demand for her arrest, she hit back at the saffron party saying that BJP is one to be blamed for insulting the national flag.

"Tricolour stands for diversity and peaceful coexistence amongst all. If anyone has insulted the tiranga, it is BJP that persecutes minorities and sows division and hatred. Tricolour was disrespected the day BJP leaders carried it to justify rapists of a 9-year-old. Spare me the lessons," she tweeted.

Commenting on the issue, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said that "Kashmiri politicians are sometimes more dangerous than separatists", adding that Mufti's comment has exposed the duplicity of "so-called mainstream Kashmir politicians".